Wykons Follow Bociek on Dominating Run
May 30, 2018
By Dennis Grall
Special for Second Half
NORWAY – Trey Bociek found a pretty efficient way to get around Oak Crest Golf Course here Wednesday.
The sophomore simply played bombs away off the tee, pounding his drives some 280 to 300 yards with deadly accuracy over the rolling, tree-lined 5,903 yards. He posted a career-best 74 to help his Iron River West Iron County teammates capture the Upper Peninsula Division 2 boys championship.
Bociek was the medalist and finished three shots ahead of teammate Nathan Thomson, whose brother Noah was fourth with 80. Trevor Tchida of Hancock was third at 79, while Norway's Evan Anderson was fifth with 81.
Bociek also plays hockey, for Kingsford under the co-op program. He golfs from the right side but is a lefty with a hockey stick as a center. Hockey is his favorite sport.
He struggled at the start, with a string of three bogeys before getting three birdies to close out the front nine. He had two birdies and seven pars on the back.
"The first birdie (on hole 2 following par on the short dogleg left opening hole) started me off," he said. "I got into it and had a good pace the rest of the way."
While some players said the greens were slow, Bociek was happy with the speed. "I like them that way because I can hit the ball harder," he said, adding he also was solid with his approach wedge shots.
Playing at George Young Golf Course in Gaastra, south of Iron River, has been helpful to his development because its tree-lined fairways and large greens.
Bociek said he was focused on his game of golf. "I was not worrying about anybody else," he said. "I blocked everybody out and did my thing."
Bociek pointed out the Wykons have three sophomores and two freshmen, which should bode well for the future. Coach Mark Martini agreed with Bociek that the Wykons should continue to contend.
"They don't realize this opportunity doesn't come along that often in life," he said of potentially establishing a dynasty.
Martini said Wednesday's success actually began around Easter when he sent a text to his players "to get ready for the train and the U.P. and we are going to win. We talked about it all year.
"They played like this all the time. They practice well, they listen well," he added, indicating the Wykons did not use a surprising runner-up finish at the conference finals as incentive.
The Wykons also won U.P. titles in 2003, 2008 and 2015.
PHOTOS: (Top) Iron River West Iron County handily captured the Upper Peninsula Division 2 boys golf championship May 30 at Norway’s Oak Crest Golf Course. The Wykons finished with 315 strokes, 29 fewer than runner-up Norway. The team is comprised of, from left, Trey Bociek, Brayden Nelson, Noah Thomson, Peyton Williams, Nate Thomson and coach Mark Martini. (Middle) Bryce Bowerman of Munising chips onto the 16th green. (Photos by Dennis Grall.)
Brothers Stalcup Pace Division 4 Field as Everest Collegiate Climbs Again
June 10, 2023
BATTLE CREEK – The battle within the battle that decided the Lower Peninsula Division 4 championship Saturday was not an unfamiliar one for the Stalcup brothers.
Just 10 days ago the Stalcup boys led Clarkston Everest Collegiate to a team Regional championship while matching up to finish first and second individually, senior Remy followed by sophomore Parker, separated by just two strokes.
This weekend at Battle Creek’s Bedford Valley, the results were nearly identical. The Stalcups led Everest to the Division 4 Final championship – the program’s first since 2017 and after the Mountaineers finished runner-up a year ago. And the Stalcups finished first and second individually – Remy shooting a two-round 142 to finish Finals medalist for the second time, and Parker just six strokes back in second place.
“It’s pretty awesome to do it a second time in my high school career,” said Remy Stalcup, who also claimed the individual title in 2021. “He had me on the ropes a little bit down the stretch, but I pulled it out.”
Everest shot a 315 on Friday to bring a 10-stroke team lead into the final round, and finished with a 625 – 17 strokes clear of runner-up Hillsdale Academy.
Remy Stalcup shot a 70 on Friday to lead individually by six strokes with 18 holes to play. But when Parker Stalcup birdied No. 13 on Saturday, he pulled within two of the lead – and then Remy bogeyed No. 14, cutting his advantage to a single stroke.
“I was about to beat you, but it didn’t happen,” Parker Stalcup said as he and his brother interviewed together after the round was complete. “I thought I had him going into 14, and then I just hit a couple of bad drives, which led to some bogeys. And I just lost it from there.”
Hillsdale Academy’s Rykert Frisinger and Maple City Glen Lake’s Blake O’Connor tied for third, shooting 150s. Everest sophomore Will Pennanen bolstered the Mountaineers’ effort with a 155 to tie for seventh individually.
“Remy is the captain of the team … (and) the team chased him so it makes the whole team better, chasing him all the time,” Everest coach David Smith said. “And he’s actually become a great leader. So he’s actually encouraging them and actually taught them a bit about his game … and he’s encouraging and voting for them to make birdies and go after him. It’s a good bunch of kids that follow him around, and that’s why we were successful.”
Remy Stalcup had tied for third and Parker had tied for 15th at last season’s Final as the team finished runner-up to Lansing Christian.
Remy was the only senior in the team’s lineup this weekend, and Parker said he and his teammates will be ready to pursue a repeat title.
“He’s a little Pac-Man. That guy’s just going to chew people up. He doesn’t stop (for) nothing,” Smith said of the younger Stalcup. “’He’s always looks forward, never looks backward.
“He’s going to be good for a long, long time. He may be better than his brother at the end of the day. We’ll see.”
PHOTOS by High School Sports Scene.